I’ll admit to struggling with this, but man, this is a powerful realization: imperfection is better than perfection. Maybe it’s our upbringing, looking up to a perfect god or the ideal man of politics or business or some fancy celebrity. Maybe it’s the self-help explosion of the last century or so. Maybe it’s always been …
Dead Talker
Just under six months ago, I decided to take a run at exorcising a demon. Everyone’s heard the axiom, “write what you know”. Well, I took that to heart. I took it to heart so deeply, I had to ask what is the one thing I’m truly good at in this life? Is it pessimism? …
Done
Well, almost done. One more read-through and this blessing, this pox upon me, upon my family, will be complete. Or complete enough to send out to every agent and publisher that might have an interest in such dark doings. After all, everyone wants to read a story about someone’s less-than-epic descent into depression and suicidal …
Chronic
I used to lie all the time. Like most male idiots, I embellished my sex life, my prowess, my intelligence and my general level of overall cool. Ten years of hard lessons has taught me that’s a terrible fucking idea. I used to have difficulty owning up to my mistakes. It’s still an unfortunate first …
Things I Have Learned
I’m almost done with this manuscript. Last minute changes, editing commas and the like, it’s tedious, but not overtly taxing. It’s allowed me some time to reflect on things I’ve learned in the process of writing this puppy, and not just that I have a tendency to use unnecessary commas (see last comma). I started …
The Silence Is Deafening
I’ve been looking for work for months. I’ve tried submitting resumes everywhere I can think of that didn’t result in a lower wage. I’ve even tried submitting resumes to places that do result in lower wages, but have long-term prospects for advancement. I’ve advanced at every job I’ve had since I was in my early …
Ask Forgiveness, Not Permission?
I’m sure you’ve heard this bit of advice somewhere. It’s a business and life coach maxim, often pushed by gurus of all kinds – businesspeople, politicians, people of success everywhere. And it’s got its points. If you waited around for permission to everything, you’d wait forever. There are far too many gatekeepers in the world …
From When We Were Young
I’m amazed now at how many works I either sneered at or didn’t appreciate fully when I was young. I have a vague recollection of liking Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series, but thinking it kind of dull and hard to understand. As I finish Dragonquest, the second book now, I’m blown away, both by …
Generic Storytelling
I saw an interesting quote from a writer whom I respect that said we, as writers, rarely get to write what we want to write. Often, we’re pushed into a corner or a section of the literary world where we’re required to fixate on a specific topic or follow a particular path and it’s up …
Tweets
This was probably a terrible idea, but I think you have to respect the people you work with in order to make any difference. @highprimate713: “At this point, if someone offered me minimum wage and a box of chocolates, I’d walk out of here this minute, pretty sure.” It’ll probably be deleted at some point, …